English cricket team in Australia in 1882–83
The England national cricket team toured Australia and Ceylon in 1882–83. The team, captained by Ivo Bligh, was on a quest "to recover those Ashes", a reference to the famous RIP notice that was published in the aftermath of England's defeat by Australia at The Oval during the previous English season. Originally, three Tests were arranged and England won two of these after losing the first. Although the actual sequence of events has never been completely confirmed, it was after England won the third Test that Ivo Bligh was somehow presented with a small urn which is believed to contain the ashes of a burnt bail. He brought this back to England and it is now the most famous exhibit in the museum at Lord's Cricket Ground. England and Australia have been contesting these mythical Ashes ever since. The "fourth Test" of this tour was arranged ad hoc after the original series had been completed. Matches First Test |team2 = |score-team1-inns1 = 291 (169 overs) |runs-team1-inns1 = GJ Bonnor 85 |wickets-team1-inns1 = CFH Leslie 3/31 11 |score-team2-inns1 = 177 (107.2 overs) |runs-team2-inns1 = EFS Tylecote 33 |wickets-team2-inns1 = GE Palmer 7/65 52.2 |score-team1-inns2 = 58/1 (53.1 overs) |runs-team1-inns2 = WL Murdoch 33* |wickets-team1-inns2 = W Barnes 1/6 13 |score-team2-inns2 = 169 (f/o) (99.1 overs) |runs-team2-inns2 = EFS Tylecote 38 |wickets-team2-inns2 = G Giffen 4/38 20 |result = Australia won by 9 wickets |venue = Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |umpires = EH Elliott and JS Swift |motm = |report = Scorecard |rain = 31 December 1882 taken as rest day }} Second Test |team2 = |score-team1-inns1 = 294 (183.3 overs) |runs-team1-inns1 = WW Read 75 |wickets-team1-inns1 = GE Palmer 5/103 66.3 |score-team2-inns1 = 114 (98.2 overs) |runs-team2-inns1 = HH Massie 43 |wickets-team2-inns1 = W Bates 7/28 26.2 |score-team1-inns2 = |runs-team1-inns2 = |wickets-team1-inns2 = |score-team2-inns2 = 153 (f/o) (69 overs) |runs-team2-inns2 = GJ Bonnor 34 |wickets-team2-inns2 = W Bates 7/74 33 |result = England won by an innings and 27 runs |venue = Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |umpires = EH Elliott and JS Swift |motm = |report = Scorecard |rain = 21 January taken as rest day }} Third Test |team2 = |score-team1-inns1 = 247 (143 overs) |runs-team1-inns1 = WW Read 66 |wickets-team1-inns1 = FR Spofforth 4/73 51 |score-team2-inns1 = 218 (179.1 overs) |runs-team2-inns1 = AC Bannerman 94 |wickets-team2-inns1 = W Bates 7/28 26.2 |score-team1-inns2 = 123 (80.1 overs) |runs-team1-inns2 = CT Studd 25 |wickets-team1-inns2 = FR Spofforth 7/44 41.1 |score-team2-inns2 = 83 (69.2 overs) |runs-team2-inns2 = JM Blackham 26 |wickets-team2-inns2 = RG Barlow 7/40 34.2 |result = England won by 69 runs |venue = Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney |umpires = EH Elliott and JS Swift |motm = |report = Scorecard |rain = 28 January taken as rest day }} "Extra" Test |team2 = |score-team1-inns1 = 263 (155 overs) |runs-team1-inns1 = AG Steel 135 |wickets-team1-inns1 = HF Boyle 3/52 40 |score-team2-inns1 = 262 (146 overs) |runs-team2-inns1 = GJ Bonnor 87 |wickets-team2-inns1 = AG Steel 3/34 18 |score-team1-inns2 = 197 (126.3 overs) |runs-team1-inns2 = W Bates 48* |wickets-team1-inns2 = TP Horan 2/15 9 |score-team2-inns2 = 199/6 (163.1 overs) |runs-team2-inns2 = AC Bannerman 63 |wickets-team2-inns2 = AG Steel 3/49 43 |result = Australia won by 4 wickets |venue = Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney |umpires = EH Elliott and JS Swift |motm = |report = Scorecard |rain = 18 February taken as rest day }} Players England was captained by Ivo Bligh and had Edward Tylecote as its specialist wicket-keeper, the other players being Billy Bates, Dick Barlow, Allan Steel, Charles Leslie, Walter Read, Charles Studd, Fred Morley, Billy Barnes, George Vernon and George Studd. Australia was captained by Billy Murdoch and had Jack Blackham as wicket-keeper. Other players to represent Australia were Billy Midwinter, Alec Bannerman, George Bonnor, Tom Horan, Percy McDonnell, George Giffen, Harry Boyle, Edwin Evans, Hugh Massie, Eugene Palmer, Tom Garrett and the "Demon Bowler" himself, the man who primarily embodied the Ashes ideal, Fred Spofforth. Ceylon The team used Colombo as a stopover during its long sea voyage and played against local sides that were not first-class. This was the first time that an English cricket team had visited Ceylon. External sources *CricketArchive tour itinerary Further reading *''The Wisden Book of Test Cricket 1877–1978'' by Bill Frindall *Chris Harte, A History of Australian Cricket, Andre Deutsch, 1993 1882–83 1882–83 Category:International cricket competitions from 1859 to 1888 1882–83